


It's Too Late

by cestlavieminako



Category: HiGH&LOW: the Story of S.W.O.R.D. (TV)
Genre: M/M, look at me kind of acknowledging Final Mission in this fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:00:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26295274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cestlavieminako/pseuds/cestlavieminako
Summary: In another time or place, where they weren't at the whims of fate, family, or sickness, perhaps they could have been happy.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 21
Collections: High and Low Shipping Week





	It's Too Late

**Author's Note:**

> For Day 6--soulmates
> 
> Hiroto/Smokey is my second favorite ship for Smokey, so I had to make an attempt. Sorry in advance for the sads. Once again, here's me trying to remember how movie 1 went, instead of just rewatching the darn thing.

Hiroto hadn’t planned on getting swept up in the battle that had been happening on Nameless Street that day. He’d only been following a lead on the eldest Amamiya brother, but that had led him right into the thick of things.

And it looked as though everyone was ganging up on one slender young man, blood splattered across his lips, looking as if he were on the verge of collapse.

Ah…that was Smokey, wasn’t it? The Rudeboys leader.

It wasn’t really any of Hiroto’s concern, but the odds were not in Smokey’s favor, and if there was one thing Hiroto disliked, it was an unfair fight.

So he’d gone roaring right into the thick of things, figuring he could at least blow off some steam about this endless loop he was running in, as he and Masaki were trying desperately to locate their older brother. It was getting frustrating, when every lead ended in disappointment.

Not only were these people pitting Smokey against unfair numbers, but one young man drew a sword as he entered the fray, and as hard as Hiroto tried to get through all of the punks between him and Smokey, he wasn’t able to stop the sword from falling, slicing right through the layers of clothing and into the flesh of Smokey’s back. 

But at least he _was_ able to get Smokey to safety, barely by the skin of their teeth.

*

Smokey’s team found them, of course, and Hiroto knew that Smokey would die if he didn’t receive medical care. He tolerated no argument, saying he would take care of it, and brought Smokey to what surely looked like a shady location for a doctor’s office, but he’d dealt with this particular man before, and he was reliable. 

It took time to tend to Smokey’s wound, and more time for him to sleep and begin to heal. Once he was awake, he most likely would have taken off, had he been alone. 

But Hiroto had been there, and had reached out to halt Smokey’s movement, before he hurt himself or tore his stitches.

The moment Hiroto’s hand touched Smokey’s bare shoulder, it felt like electricity flowed between them, and Hiroto pulled his hand away, his wide eyes meeting Smokey’s own.

There was no mistaking it. Of course, everyone knew the tale—and everyone believed it to be just that, a tale, because it seemed as though no one had ever experienced the sensation of finding their soulmate. It was incredibly rare, and that led most people to scoff at the stories, except for the more romantic types, who would sigh dreamily and hope they’d experience it for themselves one day.

Neither of them knew what to say. What to _do_. Of course, the tales had also hinted at how mind-blowingly amazing sex with your soulmate was supposed to be, but it was hardly the time for that. Smokey had been grievously wounded, and this was not the place for such things. And Hiroto…he had reasons of his own, for not allowing anyone to get too close, not flirting endlessly as Masaki did. 

This couldn’t have come at a worse time.

And events in SWORD did not simply come to a halt, just because they’d found one another.

Doubt kidnapped Lala. There was the huge brawl, initiated by the Mighty Warriors (and no doubt orchestrated by the Iemura Group). Hiroto and Masaki found their brother, and lost him for good almost as quickly. Endless fighting.

But Hiroto hadn’t forgotten about Smokey. And the more time passed, and the more things happened, he knew he couldn’t allow this opportunity to slip through his fingers. He needed to see Smokey again, talk to him, see how he wanted to proceed (or if he even wanted to). 

When things had finally ended (for good, he hoped, but he knew it was more of a “for now” scenario. It always was. There would always be something else), he found himself roaring back toward Nameless Street. He knew it had been the focus of many attacks, thanks to the Iemura Group’s greed. He just prayed that everyone was all right.

That Smokey was all right.

When he finally arrived, it was a bit unsettling, seeing members of other teams within SWORD lingering on Nameless Street. But nothing prepared him for the looks of absolute sorrow on the faces of every Rudeboys member Hiroto saw. They stared at him, uncomprehending, until he finally managed to ask after Smokey. 

Their expressions crumpled, and Hiroto knew. He didn’t want to believe it, but he knew that, without a doubt, Smokey was gone.

It felt to Hiroto that a large piece of his heart hard been cruelly sawed away.


End file.
